


Don't Quiet Belong

by Kay_Erin



Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anxiety, Concussions, F/M, Fluff, Helpful Clint Barton, Injury, Original Character(s), POV First Person, Protective Clint Barton, Worry, no character description
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26353963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kay_Erin/pseuds/Kay_Erin
Summary: -inspired by "Don't Quiet Belong" by Dodie Clark--main character not described or given a name-When the main character gets back from a mission, goes to one of Tony's parties, and suddenly feels wrong, what will Clint do? Is this the start of something between them, or not?
Relationships: Clint Barton/Original Character(s), Clint Barton/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Don't Quiet Belong

**Author's Note:**

> This short story was inspired by a new song from Dodie Clark, "don't quiet belong"! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEsvIK526tg&ab_channel=doddleoddle
> 
> I specifically wrote the piece with no character description and no name, so anyone can enjoy and read. :) I hope you like it!

My eyes roamed over the people filling the room, my hand gripping the cup in my hand tightly. The noise from the speaking and the music combined pounded at my ears, only making the pounding grow worse.

Tony had said I was lucky, getting back from the mission right before his party started, and while last week I had been excited about the party, today I was not. The mission had seemed easy, and had been until the end, where a fight had ensued. I had, of course, gone straight to medical when I returned to base, and they had given me the okay to go about my normal business. I trusted them, of course, it was just slightly worrying that the pounding in my temples continued to grow.

Done with sitting against the single wall I had been at for almost thirty minutes, I pushed off the surface and moved through the crowd, glancing at the people I passed, trying to find one specific person.

I heard conversations around me in different directions, but it felt like every single one was in code, like I was missing something. Was I? Was this a set up for a mission and someone forgot to tell me? Or was I just tired and stupid? I frequently didn’t understand people, but those tended to be scientists, like Bruce and Tony when they got on a specific topic. But how did everyone in the room sound like that right now?

Feeling a sense of relief as I spotted him by the bar, I immediately pushed through, sliding to his side. Clint glanced at me as I stopped by his left side, smiling at me before looking back to Natasha. “I told her she was acting stupid, it’s as easy as always,” Natasha finished, shaking her head.

I wanted to ask who was stupid, or what was easy, but the fear slowly building in me pushed it down, causing the anxiety that hard started to build inside me only grow. 

Natasha glanced at me then, smiling. “Welcome back from the mission, I heard you got into some trouble.”

Trouble? Was I in trouble? Did I do something wrong?

I forced a smile on my face and responded, “Well, at least I got back in one piece.” 

Natasha laughed, her attention getting pulled away as Clint looked down at me. “Finish your drink, then we’ll bounce. Get it down, hit the town.”

The confusion in me only grew at that. Hit the town? As in a mission? Why now? What was I missing?

“Right, of course,” I replied, deciding not to voice my concern. I was just missing something, I was too tired, that was it. 

He stepped away into the crowd, leaving you at a different wall, alone like before. Looking over the crowd, the anxiety in me only swelled. I didn’t belong here, they were all here for a mission, for a purpose, and I was the idiot who didn’t know anything and would mess it up. Hell, I didn’t even deserve to work with the Avengers! I wasn’t on their level, that was clear, especially now.

Downing the rest of my glass, and forgetting what the drink was as it burned down my throat, I set the glass down before I broke it, forcing myself farther back into the wall. The urge to disappear was huge, I just wanted to get out.

Before I realized it, Clint was back, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Hey, you alright?”

“...what?” I asked, the confusion gripping me more. I had messed up, I had already messed up whatever mission this was, oh god.

“I called your name a few times, you didn’t respond,” Clint responded, his hands gently moving to my arms. “What’s going on?”

“I-I’m messing it all up, I don’t belong here,” I stuttered out, feeling the shaking grow in my hands. “This mission is obviously important and-”

“What mission?” Clint interrupted, continuing to stare at my face.

“I-I don’t know!” I cried, feeling tears grow in my eyes as the pounding overwhelmed me. Shutting my eyes and moving my hands to my head, I got out, “I’m missing something, and it’s too loud in here, and-”

I didn’t realize Clint had rushed me out the closest door until the music was muffled, the sound of the door shutting a moment later. “Hey, woah, look at me, sweetheart,” he said softly, something lining his voice.

I shook my head, a tear slipping down my cheek. “No, No, I’m-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to mess up, I really didn’t,” I sobbed. “I can leave quietly, I promise, just don’t yell, I’m sorry.”

I felt my knees buckle and I fell to the floor Clint’s arms not leaving mine as he fell with me. “Woah, woah!” he said, his arms moving around me. “Sweetheart, you’re not missing anything, this isn’t a mission. Why would you think that?”

I leaned into his chest, explaining, “Everyone is talking in some sort of code, and I-I’m not understanding anyone...I’m just an idiot and-”

“You’re not an idiot, not in the slightest,” he interrupted, his voice soft and gentle. “It’s alright, just focus on me.”

I nodded into his chest, letting the tears flow as he rubbed my back, the pounding only growing worse with the lack of music. 

After a few minutes, how long exactly I’m not sure, he asked quietly, “Did you get checked over by medical when you got back?”

I nodded again, muttering, “Jen said I was fine.”

Clint groaned, and before I knew what was happening, one of his arms had slid under my legs and he stood, holding me firmly. I squeaked in shock, gripping his shoulders tighter. 

“Clint! What-”

“Jen never checks for concussions,” Clint responded, moving down the hall farther away from the party. “Someone will need to talk to her about it, this isn’t alright. FRIDAY?”

The AI responded as Clint stepped into the elevator, not putting me down. “Yes, Mr. Barton?”

“Clint, I can-”

He ignored me, speaking to the system. “Let Tony and Nat know we’re heading to medical, and that Jen needs to be spoken to.”

“Of course,” the AI responded. 

“I can walk,” I finished, trying not to blush.

“Not a chance,” he replied instantly, meeting my eyes as the numbers lowered. “You know I trust you, but this seems like a bad one. I want you okay, so I’m carrying you.”

Not able to fight the heat rising in my cheeks, I buried my face in his neck. After a moment of silence, I asked softly, “...what did you mean by ‘hit the town’?”

I expected anger, or frustration at me forgetting, but Clint just answered, “We had planned a night out at bars around.” He rested his forehead against the top of my head. “...this is how I know you’re not okay.”

“Because I forgot?” I asked meekly, looking up.

“No, because you don’t know what it meant,” he answered, looking at me as I met his eyes. “We always do something fun Friday nights, and you forgot out code for it.”

I blushed, resting my head against his shoulder again. “...I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Clint stated as the elevator dinged, arriving at medical. “We can change our plans, watch movies in bed.”

“Mr. Barton, Tony and Miss Romanoff are on their way down,” FRIDAY informed.

I groaned softly as Clint moved into the medical office area. “I don’t want to mess up the party…”

“Well we are,” Clint responded, moving to the closest office. He had carried me this whole time, I realized, without any signs of a struggle or exhaustion in his arms. Clint had always been strong, but…I guess I hadn’t realized he was this strong. Shaking myself out of those thoughts, he added, “Plus, you being okay comes first.”

“...okay, fine,” I muttered back as a nurse came rushing towards us.

“What happened?!” she asked, frantically looking me over.

“She needs checked for a concussion,” Clint answered, glancing at me. “I don’t think she was checked properly after her mission.”

“Oh my god,” the woman said, moving to the table. “Come here, we’ll check right away.”

* * *

Tony and Nat had rushed down indeed, barging into the room not long after Clint had set me down, though he had seemed reluctant. Nat had been more worried that I was alright, while Tony was more focused on the less than stellar job Jen had gone checking me over, insisting she would be fired before morning.

Clint had been right, of course. I had a concussion and a fairly bad one at that. I had been ordered no hard work for two weeks, bed rest for the next two days, with someone checking on me every hour for the next twelve hours.

Before Nat could say anything (we were neighbors and fairly close), Clint had volunteered to keep my company, winking at me and saying we could do movie day instead of night. 

And not even thirty minutes later, that’s exactly where we were. A movie was playing on the tv across from you two, but you were so tired and in pain that you weren’t entirely sure what movie it was. You were drifting in and out of sleep, Clint checking on me as I awoke, making sure I was okay. We were cuddled on my bed under the blankets, my head on his chest as the light from the tv flashed across both of us.

“...I’m sorry about tonight,” I muttered, speaking for the first time in an hour (beside nods and hums in confirmation that I was alright).

Clint furrowed his eyebrows, looking down at me. “Sorry about what?”

“We were supposed to go out, and I pulled you away from the party, and -”

“Sweetheart,” Clint interrupted, running his hand through my hair. “You don’t need to apologize.”

“But-”

“No buts,” he insisted. “We can go out when you’re better, have much more fun. And Tony’s parties get stuffy after so long anyways. I was more worried about you than anything.”

“Well...then I’m sorry for scaring you,” I responded, cuddling into his chest more.

I could feel him kiss the top of my head as he whispered, “Just be okay eventually, and we’ll be alright.”

Hoping he couldn’t feel how hard my heart was beating in my chest, I smiled softly. I couldn’t help but think this was comfortable, not just position-wise, but...with him. It felt natural, normal, and...right almost. But that was probably just the concussion talking.

...maybe. I would have to see in a few weeks.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this, please let me know! I could possibly write more, but would only really do it if there was interest. So leave a kudo or comment if you'd like another part!


End file.
